New Options of Apheresis in Renal Diseases: How and When?

The 100-year anniversary of the first experimental apheresis performed by John Abel on uremic dogs in 1914 provides the opportunity for discussion on the current state of classic apheresis as well as technological progress and clinical experiences with its new options presented in the world literature in the last 15 years, such as the following: double filtration, plasma adsorption and immunoadsorption, leuko- and cytapheresis and low-density lipoprotein apheresis. In our review, we highlight the potential limitations for further development of those highly promising techniques, such as the following: the lack of multicenter, controlled clinical studies; insufficient knowledge of the mechanisms of those techniques and last but not least, the restricted access to apheresis, caused both by high expenditure and organizational negligence, even in highly developed countries. Special attention was paid to the most recent recommendations by the American Society of Apheresis in primary and secondary renal diseases, which are the subject of our professional interest.

Terminology and labeling of cellular products: 1. Standards.

The International Cellular Therapy Coding and Labeling Advisory Group was established to address the growing need for standardization of terminology and labeling for cellular therapy products as a result of increasing international transfer of these products. This paper presents new standards for terminology and labeling. These standards have been developed through a consultative process and are supported by key professional and accreditation bodies. By using these standards, together with the unique donation identification numbers and international product reference tables provided by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) 128 Standard, consistency and traceability can be assured at the global level. A companion paper provides guidance on the implementation of the ISBT 128 system.